Happy to celebrate our trek on I-10! For those a little less familiar with the interstates in Florida, I-10 extends across the panhandle and we finally made it out with a stop in Pensacola on our way out of our home state. We enjoyed Gulf Island National Seashore, and the National Aviation Museum as well as an amazing dinner at Fisherman’s Corner Restaurant.

The National Aviation Museum is on the Naval Air Station Pensacola. It’s the home of the Blue Angels who were actually training in northern California while we were in Pensacola; however, we still got to see a ton of really impressive things in the museum. Michele and Peyton enjoyed a flight simulator and all of us got a more gentle version in a 4D flight experience, Robert’s favorite part.

Our second stop was NOLA! Did you know that Mardi Gras celebration starts this early in the year? Well, thanks to our friends Alicia and Sean, we learned that the season of Mardi Gras starts January 6, and extends all the way to Fat Tuesday. Had no idea that they have multiple parades and a celebration extending all the way through January to March. So to celebrate we beaded up and had an excellent Cajun boil. Again thanks Sean (I really think Sean needs to open a restaurant) and learned how to pick apart some crab! After a stop at the National World War II Museum (Amazing!) we also added another first…

We hooked up our new-used Jeep Grand Cherokee to flat tow behind the DillerTime Bus. As previously noted we replaced our Honda Pilot since it couldn’t flat tow (4 wheels down) and the Jeep was ready but we weren’t when we headed west. Today intended to offer us the time and space to get hooked up and figure it all out but we needed all the planed time and then some. Turns out that our four bike rack that our brother Richard donated to the trip extends too far for the blue ox towing system that connects Jeep to the bus. It’s fine if you’re straight, but as soon as you turn a corner, the turning radius brings the bike rack straight into the grill of the Jeep. So we spent an extra hour halfway through the first corner heading out of the KOA this AM loading the bikes into the Jeep and pulling up the bike rack… about 1/2 in from ripping off our Jeep front grill. 🙏 we were watching the turn careful to see if it would clear, otherwise we’d be hanging in NOLA for another self inflected repair. Lesson learned and some replanning pending on the bikes and tow system.

Off to central Texas for the next week then Dallas for some time with old friends!